Contact Import Guide

Overview

The Smart Import system allows you to upload CSV and Excel files containing contact information and automatically import them into your CRM. The system uses AI to intelligently map your data fields and detect potential duplicates.

Getting Started

Supported File Formats

• CSV files (.csv) - Up to 10MB
• Excel files (.xlsx) - Up to 10MB with sheet selection
• TSV files (.tsv) - Tab-separated values

Required Data

• Contact Name - At minimum, last name is required
• Email Address - Valid email format required
• Business/Company - Will auto-create if not provided

3-Step Import Process

Step 1: Upload & Analysis

1. Upload Your File

   • Drag and drop or click to select your file
   • System validates file format and size
   • For Excel files, select the sheet containing your data

2. AI Column Analysis

   • System analyzes your column headers and sample data
   • AI suggests mappings to standard contact fields
   • Confidence scores show mapping reliability

3. Review Suggestions

   • High-confidence mappings (green) are likely correct
   • Medium-confidence mappings (yellow) may need review
   • Low-confidence mappings (red) require your attention

Step 2: Configure & Process

1. Review Field Mappings

   • Confirm AI suggestions or modify as needed
   • Handle complex mappings (e.g., "Full Name" → First + Last Name)
   • Set fields to "Skip" if not needed

2. Advanced Mapping Options

   • Split Fields: "Contact Name" → separate first/last name
   • Combine Fields: Multiple address lines → single field
   • Transform Data: Phone number formatting, date formats

3. Create Staging Data

   • System processes your file with confirmed mappings
   • Creates staging tables with transformed data
   • Validates data quality and business rules

Step 3: Review & Import

1. Review Staging Data

   • See exactly what will be imported
   • Quality indicators show success/warning/error status
   • Make inline corrections to problematic data

2. Duplicate Detection

   • System identifies potential duplicate contacts and businesses
   • Side-by-side comparison of matches
   • Choose to merge with existing records or create new ones

3. Final Import

   • Execute import to production database
   • Real-time progress tracking
   • Complete results summary with created entities

Field Mapping Guide

Standard Contact Fields

• First Name - Individual's first name
• Last Name - Individual's last name (required)
• Email - Primary email address (required)
• Job Title - Position within the company
• Department - Department or division
• Phone Number - Primary phone (auto-formatted to international standard)
• Business Name - Company or organization name

Business/Company Fields

• Business Name - Company name (auto-creates if new)
• Industry - Industry classification
• Website - Company website URL
• Address - Business address components

Address Fields

• Address Line 1 - Street address
• Address Line 2 - Suite, apartment, etc.
• City - City name
• Postal Code - ZIP or postal code
• Country - Country name or code

Duplicate Detection

How It Works

The system uses intelligent algorithms to detect potential duplicates:

• High Confidence Matches (90%+): Exact email or business name matches
• Medium Confidence Matches (70-89%): Similar names, phone numbers, or addresses
• Low Confidence Matches (50-69%): Fuzzy name matching

Making Decisions

For each potential duplicate:

1. Review the match - Compare existing vs. imported data
2. Choose action:
   • Merge - Update existing record with new information
   • Create New - Create separate record
   • Skip - Don't import this record

Best Practices

• Review high-confidence matches carefully
• Check for slight variations in business names ("ACME Inc" vs "ACME")
• Consider different email domains for the same person

Data Quality & Validation

Automatic Validation

• Email Format - Must be valid email format
• Phone Numbers - Converted to international format (+1234567890)
• Required Fields - Last name and email must be provided
• Business Rules - Contacts must be linked to a business

Data Quality Indicators

• Green Check - Data passed all validations
• Yellow Warning - Minor issues detected but importable
• Red Error - Critical issues that must be fixed

Common Issues & Solutions

• Invalid Email: Fix email format or remove
• Missing Last Name: Add last name or skip record
• Invalid Phone: Correct format or leave blank
• Long Text: Trim text to fit field limits

Error Handling

During Upload

• File Too Large: Reduce file size or split into multiple imports
• Unsupported Format: Convert to CSV or Excel format
• Empty File: Ensure file contains data rows

During Processing

• Mapping Errors: Review and correct field mappings
• Validation Errors: Fix data quality issues in staging review
• System Errors: Contact support with error details

Recovery Options

• Retry Processing - Fix mappings and reprocess
• Edit Staging Data - Make corrections before final import
• Partial Import - Import successful records, fix others later

Best Practices

File Preparation

1. Clean Your Data - Remove empty rows and columns
2. Consistent Headers - Use clear, descriptive column names
3. Standard Formats - Use consistent date, phone, and email formats
4. Single Sheet - Use one sheet per import for Excel files

Large Imports

• Split Large Files - Break files into smaller chunks for better performance
• Test First - Import a small sample to verify mappings
• Monitor Progress - Watch for errors during processing

Data Quality

• Verify Business Names - Ensure consistent company name formatting
• Check Contact Details - Validate email addresses and phone numbers
• Review Addresses - Ensure complete address information

Troubleshooting

Common Import Issues

Problem: AI mapping suggestions are incorrect Solution: Manually review and correct mappings in Step 2

Problem: Too many duplicate matches Solution: Review business name consistency in your source data

Problem: Import taking too long Solution: Check file size and consider splitting large files

Problem: Validation errors in staging Solution: Use inline editing to fix data issues before final import

Getting Help

• Check error messages for specific guidance
• Review data quality indicators
• Contact support for technical issues
• Refer to field mapping examples above

Advanced Features

Custom Field Mapping

• Map to custom fields specific to your organization
• Handle industry-specific data requirements
• Configure validation rules for custom fields

Bulk Operations

• Apply corrections to multiple similar records
• Bulk duplicate resolution decisions
• Pattern-based data fixes

Import Templates

• Save successful mappings for future imports
• Reuse configurations for regular data sources
• Share templates across team members

Audit Trail

• Complete history of import decisions
• Track data changes and sources
• Export import results for reporting

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